Do cops ticket state exempt vehicles?

Q: About 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 4, I saw a vehicle with a state exempt license plates parked in a marked disabled parking stall located in front of a Bellevue QFC.

I’ve looked into the Revised Code of Washington and there doesn’t appear to be a blanket exemption for state-owned vehicles to use disabled parking, unless for emergency or other similar incidents.

I’ve also wondered about the “for official use” aspect while parked at the QFC grocery store on a Monday mid-day. Is it legal for the operator to park in this manner?

A: “Exempt vehicles cannot park there just because they are exempt,” Bellevue police spokeswoman Carla Iafrate. But there may have been a reason why it was parked there that wasn’t immediately apparent.

“In regards to an exempt vehicle getting cited, officers use discretion when dealing with any infraction or parking violation,” she said. “But in general most people who violate the disabled parking law are going to get a citation.

“The Bellevue Police Department is willing to cite city vehicles who commit violations and an example would be our new photo enforcement camera’s where even our own marked units will get citations unless they are committing the violations as part of a need while performing their duties.”